Holiday Happy – A Holiday Recovery Guide

Happy Holidays!

Whether your calendar is full of events, parties and family dinners, or a long “to-do” list of everything that needs to be accomplished before the end of the year – there’s no doubt that December is a busy month.

It’s this busy-ness that also makes December a month all about performing – and not necessarily in the way you expect it.

Sure, if you’re an artist you may have a couple extra gigs on the go, or if you’re a winter sport athlete a couple of tournaments coming up. Maybe you have a few speaking gigs, or a couple of last minute presentations to help seal up some new deals before the end of the year.

All this in a regular month would be enough of a workout for our performing muscles.

But in December, there’s more.

For many of us, all these events and holiday parties are not just about getting into the festive spirit.

They’re networking opportunities.

They’re places we can sidle up and chat with fellow artists and entrepreneurs. Chances we have to casually, but pointedly find out more about potential partners or collaborators. And they’re also great places to pitch new ideas, without the constraints of a stage or a boardroom.

In other words, these events are performance opportunities. They require us to use all our performance skills, and to do it all with a glass of wine in our hand (and maybe a few down the hatch as well).

Beyond this, the holidays also offer us another performance opportunity– one that hits us close to home.

For some of us, spending extra time with family and friends during this season can make us feel like we’re under a spotlight.

Whether its pressure to make your house look perfect, to cook the most spectacular family meal, or find a tactful way to make polite conversation with that uncle you don’t get along with – it takes energy and effort to get through what can sometimes feel like our biggest performance of all.

With all this going on, it’s no wonder we reach the end of December feeling exhausted and drained. Which hardly sets us up well to jump into the new year with both feet.

That’s why self-care and recovery are so important around the holiday season. In fact, they are essential to ensuring that we stay happy and healthy during this time. And that we move into the new year feeling focused and grounded.

So be sure to make some time for recovery, whether it’s an hour for yourself after a party or family dinner, or a day of downtime to release, relax and reset.

To help you do that, I’ve collected the best audio exercises from this blog below, along with links to some awesome written exercises from earlier posts.

So this holiday season, no matter where you are or when you need them, you have a collection of guided exercises and meditations to help you find a bit of relaxation and recovery.

Above each recording, I’ve included a brief description of the exercise and what it’s good for. That’s way you’ll have no trouble finding the right exercise for how you’re feeling. Even better, do them all and create a personal holiday recovery oasis for yourself.

Sounds pretty great!

Wishing you all the best for the season, and hoping that these exercises help you stay holiday happy!

Much love,

-Mairin

P.S. Bookmark this page, so it’s easy to find when you need it!

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Grounding Exercise

A physical exercise to help you stand strong on your feet. Great for when you need a boost of confidence, or if you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a quick way to calm your nerves.

A heart centered meditation for processing emotions and setting boundaries. An awesome way to prepare yourself for a big event. And very helpful if you’ve been in stressful situations and are looking for a way to reset and release.

This blog is a part of my work with Five Winds. It’s a space where I share thoughts and insights on performing and wellness, and offer tips and ideas on how to stay balanced and healthy (body, mind, emotions and spirit) while living the life of a performer.

Find out more information about me here, or how to work with me here. To stay connected, subscribe to this blog in the sidebar or find me on Facebook or Instagram.

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Five Winds Blog

Hi! I'm Mairin Smit, Performance & Wellness Coach.

This blog is where I share thoughts and insights on performing and wellness, and offer tips and ideas on how to stay balanced and healthy (body, mind, emotions and spirit) while living the life of a performer. :)